Michael
Michael is the highest of the Archangels and the viceroy of Paradise in the absence of the Lord. He was the first being created by the Super God Zeal, and as the Archangels would stand above the lesser Angels in terms of power, so did Michael stand above the other Archangels. Possessing unequaled might and fighting ability, Michael was Zeal’s champion and the leader of the Angelic Host. During the War at the Dawn, he lead a brutal campaign against the demonic forces, single-handedly slaughtering many of the more powerful Devils and Archdevils. He was not invincible though, as he was unable to defeat an Archdevil known as Abyss and was laid low by the Devil King, Satan. During Satan’s final rampage, 3 of the 7 Archangels and scores of lesser Angels were butchered until the Lord himself stepped in. Zeal succeeded in driving Satan away, but at the cost of his physical body. Without their Lord, the Host turned to Michael to lead them and he assumed command of Paradise and Zion. The loss of their father weighed heavily on the Angels but Michael especially, who regarded the whole ordeal as his fault since he failed to fight Satan. Michael would spend the following eons obeying the Angelic mission to the letter, committing the Host to the protection of Zion and the shepherding of the mortals. Not long after the Lord’s disappearance, a Prophet would emerge from among the mortals who could speak with the Voice of the Lord. Michael took this as a sign that Zeal would return and committed himself to maintaining the Kingdom of Zion till he did. However, as the millennia went by, many Angels, even some of the Archangels, began to believe that their Father was gone for good. While he can come across as gruff and uncaring, Michael has a great deal of concern for the charge left to him by Zeal. He prizes his brothers and sisters and will do anything to protect them, taking threats to the Angelic Host very seriously and ruthlessly destroying whatever it is. In their true forms angels are regarded as terrible to behold and defying description, and as an Archangel Michael is such that for a mortal perceiving his actual self is often fatal. More often he assumes a humanoid form, in which he appears as a tall, handsome man with long white hair and glowing white eyes. He has chiseled features with a square jaw and a heavily muscled frame. Often he wears ornate golden armor, though sometimes he will wear simple robes. Like other Angels in his humanoid form he has large birdlike wings which sprout from his back. He does not need these wings to fly, rather they are used to project an intimidating aura. In battle Michael occasionally uses a flaming sword which he created from the Fire Element, or the Spear of the Lord Ascalon. More often though, he tends to prefer to use his regular powers in fighting. 'Powers and Abilities' 'Angelic Grace' Like all Gods, the source of Michael’s powers is his Grace. Being the first born of the Angels, Michael is immensely powerful and stands head and shoulders above even the other Archangels in terms of might. Indeed, Michael is considered one of the strongest Gods known. Angelic Grace confers powers of nigh omnipotence and omniscience. When used the grace of Angels tends to have the appearance of glowing feathers. As the Supreme Angel, Michael’s Grace makes him powerful enough to casually destroy entire planets. Smite: A technique common to Angels, for lesser Angels Smiting is their ultimate attack but among Archangels it is standard. Smite is a concussive burst of Angelic Power fired from one hand. It is powerful enough to flatten a mountain. Judgment: Michael points at an opponent and explodes them. Miracle: A reality warping technique which allows Michael to create whatever effect he desires. Telekinesis: Michael is able to move objects with his mind and influence them however he chooses. When backed up by his vast Aura, he is able to move objects from across the expanse of space. Telepathy: Michael can read and project his thoughts into others, and is even able to control people up to large populations of planets. Michael has demonstrated the ability to enter the dreams of others. Teleportation: By concentrating on a place Michael can instantly transmit himself there. When using this technique he appears and disappears in a flash of white light which can appear as feathers. He is also able to teleport others from one place to another, and is powerful enough that he was able to banish a fellow Archangel, Raphael, back to the White City against his will. Ultimate Wrath of Heaven: An attack unique to Michael believed to have been taught to him by Zeal himself, Wrath of Heaven is a glowing light that obliterates anyone Michael regards as an enemy. Only very powerful opponents are able to keep from being destroyed by it, and even they take incredible damage. 'Trivia' - Despite many Angels no longer believing that the Lord will return, Michael is so respected and feared among the Host that no one ever dares challenge him on it. According to Raphael it would take the 3 other Archangels acting together to even challenge Michael. Michael's supremacy over the other Archangels was demonstrated when he was able to banish Raphael back to the White City with a wave of his hand. Short of Zeal himself, Michael's only equal in all of Zion is Azrael. Samael, even when powered by the Fury of Abyss, was not confident that he could defeat Michael and chose to trap him and Azrael in Perdition rather than risk fighting him. - During one of the rare meetings of all 9 God Kings on Sanctuary, Michael and Rao got into an argument wherein Rao derided Lord Zeal. The two almost came to blows before being reminded of the sacred oaths and enchantments which prevented bloodshed between Gods there. This insult was the motivation behind the Angel's Crusade into Shiva. - During the Crusade against the Dragons, Michael was defeated in battle by Rao. This loss resonated with him, and he spent the next few thousand years training to increase his power. By the time of Samael's Betrayal he is strong enough that he could certainly fight evenly with Rao and probably even beat him (though Johnny admitted later that he really just said that to make Michael feel better). Even John and Cain are forced to admit that Michael is more powerful than they are. - Secretly, Michael will occasionally disappear from the White City, taking human form and going on "vacation" among the mortals. He typically attaches himself to a small group and gives himself some mundane task like teaching someone to feel joy in their life or getting a pair of lovers together. - According to the Celestial Adam, the most powerful God to exist is Lord Zeal, who on a scale from 1-10 is a 10. By this, Michael would be a 6 while the other Archangels would be a 4, Seraphim would be a 2 and Cherubim would be a 1. - According to Gabriel, the burden of leading the Angelic Host and protecting Zion sits heavy on Michael. While most know him to be aloof and severe, Gabriel states that Michael actually has a great sense of humor and a compassionate heart in that he wants to protect everyone, not just his Angelic Brethren. This sense of responsibility drives him to take everything on himself and to Gabriel he seems overwhelmingly tired. Category:Characters Category:Deities Category:Angels Category:Archangels